Punisher: Serpent's Blood
by Verbal Contortion
Summary: Punisher faces a human trafficking ring led by none other than the Serpent Society. Determined to come out victorious, he pushes his limits to the maximum in order to get the job done.
1. Rattle

Punisher: Serpent's Blood

Verbal Contortion

Frank Castle walked swiftly down the fire escape. He was face-to-face with M'Gula, also known as Rock Python. Frank's bullets did nothing to the behemoth of a man. M'Gula threw one of his signature weapons at Frank, ensnaring him. He administered a blow to Frank's head and was soon carrying the now unconscious Frank to the Serpent Society's base.

Upon arriving, M'Gula was met with surprise. The members of the Society expressed their concern, backed by the argument that steel ribbons can't hold Frank forever. The group continued squabbling. Unfortunately for the Society, Frank woke up.

Trapped by steel ribbons, Frank slowly inched towards the radiator. The heat softened the steel enough to let him break the restraints. Without ammunition and with his legs tied together, Punisher began hopping around looking for a gun. That was when Blanche Sitznski intervened, grabbing him and crushing his left arm. Broken and beaten, Frank passed out.

Frank woke up tied to a chair. In front of him was Gustav Krueger, alias Rattler.

"What do you know about the Serpent Society?"

"I know that you sickos operate a human trafficking ring for profit. You sell drugs to kids. You resort to pimping out those kids when they can't afford their next fix. You profit off the suffering of minors and innocents. And you're all going to die painfully."

"Nie. That's not the answer I was looking for."

A shrill, deafening shriek filled the room, followed by total silence. Frank's ears were dripping with crimson blood. Gustav grinned as Frank grew increasingly weaker.

"Tell me, Frank Castle, what do you know about the Serpent Society?"

"I know you're all twisted sons of bitches and you deserve to rot in hell. I know you think you're going to get away with child slavery but-"

"Nie. No but. We will."

The same shriek filled the room, followed by the same absence of sound. Frank coughed up an alarming amount of blood.

"Francis Castiglione, what do you know about the Serpent Society?"

Frank broke loose from the restraints. Rattler swung his tail, but Frank jumped over it. He slammed the metal chair against Rattler's tail, causing a malfunction in the sonic weapons that rendered Gustav deaf. Frank took the rope off his wrists and used it to choke the criminal to death. One down, seventeen to go.


	2. Talons

Punisher: Serpent's Blood

Verbal Contortion

Frank Castle, battered and bleeding, walked through the streets of New York. He came to a small clinic disguised as a townhouse. He knocked on the door. Nobody answered for three minutes. Frank could hear the sounds of latches coming undone and locks unlocking. Out stepped Healer the Morlock.

"Hey sweetie, welcome to the Night Nurse's clinic! Oh my gosh, that arm looks shattered! And there's blood pouring through your mouth. Let's get you fixed up."

In sixty minutes, Frank was back on the street. He walked a few blocks to a seedy motel and paid in cash for a room. He closed his eyes, he hopped into the bed and he slept for a night.

Frank heard gunshots, smelled death, tasted the blood of his enemies in the air. He watched his friends die miserably over and over. He heard the final screams of his wife and children. He saw their corpses rotting on the carousel. He cried. He woke up to an unfamiliar face.

"The Society sends its deepest apologies to you for what I am about to do. Actually, they don't apologize. And neither will I."

The mystery woman turned out to be Teresa Vasquez, alias Fer-de-Lance. Frank gracefully dodged her attacks, taking note of her superior strength and durability. He shoved one of her own steel spikes into her eyes and forcefully removed it, causing her blood to shoot out of her eye socket.

"You're no better than your greatest enemies."

Teresa's last words taunted Frank, and simultaneously got stuck in his head. He had a memory of buying his son and daughter Spider-Man figurines.

"Daddy, I wanna be just like Spider-Man! I wanna beat up the bad guys!"

"Me too! Can we get costumes?"

Frank smiled at his kids. Everything about them was so naive, so idealistic, so hopeful for the future. He walked on eggshells with them.

"You can have your toys, but no costumes. I don't want to see you two on the news beating up Scorpion!"

Frank and his kids laughed. Frank could hear their laughter again, followed by the image of their graves. He kicked Teresa's body until he heard her rib crack. He cursed at God. He did everything he could to stop the memories, but nothing would bring him peace. He researched his next target. Greg Bryan, alias Sidewinder. Travels to Madripoor often, generally scummy person, frequent visitor of the Bar with No Name.


	3. Sidewinder

Punisher: Serpent's Blood

Verbal Contortion

Frank entered the Bar with No Name. Every criminal, scumbag and supervillain hushed and quivered in their seats. In the corner of the bar, the Enforcers were having drinks with brothers Discus and Stiletto. In another corner, Blindside was flirting with 8-Ball, who flirted back from time to time. Frank gunned most of them down without hesitation. When only Raymond Bloch was left standing, he asked for Sidewinder's location.

"Greg's a friend of ours. He—"

"Did he mention his little escapades with selling underage girls to the highest bidder?"

"He's in a warehouse around Hamilton Beach. Kill the bastard. Kill him dead."

Frank Castle arrived at the warehouse. He picked the lock and walked in, gun in hand. Greg crept up behind him and tried to administer a quick blow to the back of Frank's neck. Frank, unfazed, turned around, caught the punch and shattered Greg's elbow. He shot Greg before stabbing his corpse repeatedly. His wife, his kids, his fallen comrades, he felt the pain of all their deaths all at once. He vented his frustration on Greg's warm corpse. He channeled all his rage into the lifeless body of Greg Bryan, alias Sidewinder.

That was about the time that Jordan Dixon noticed the Serpent Society's ranks were dwindling. He sought to end that personally.


	4. Fin

Punisher: Serpent's Blood

Verbal Contortion

Frank Castle was being hunted by the Serpent Society leader, Jordan Dixon, alias Viper. Frank was killing off members of the Serpent Society one by one, moving from warehouse to warehouse, and shutting down the human trafficking ring. From a rooftop, Jordan hit Frank in the neck with a poisoned dart. That was about the time Frank hit the ground.

Frank woke up in yet another nondescript warehouse, with Cleo Nefertiti sitting in front of him.

"I'm disappointed in you, Frank. You could have done much better in evading capture."

"No, you didn't capture me. You brought me right where I wanted to be."

"Good luck killing all of us without guns."

The lights turned on to reveal the full membership of the Serpent Society standing and waiting for Frank to make a move. Still poisoned, he got up and immediately fell. The Society moved towards Frank, but the room started to fill with the stench of expired microwaved burritos.

"I love surprise crossovers! Time to beat up the bad guys!"

Punisher, still lying on the floor, shook his head in disbelief. Wade Wilson came to visit the Serpent Society.

"Wade? Why are—"

"It's a crossover, pal. I thought you knew about fanfiction. Anyway, time to shoot the bad guys in an epic montage!"

Wade shot down Black Mamba and Boomslang. He used his katanas to chop off Anaconda's limbs. He moved from one opponent to the next, until he was met with a challenge in the form of Ariana, Quincy and Eddie. Eddie shocked Wade while Ariana stole all his weapons. Quincy tried to beat Wade into a pulp, but the attempt was futile. Wade pulled a katana out of his pants, surprising Quincy before he was swiftly beheaded. With the membership having dwindled so much that night, Eddie and Ariana decided to part ways.

Frank looked over to Wade.

"Wade, I'm not sure whether to be angry or proud. You did a good thing today. Now do another good thing and get me to the Night Nurse."

"At least buy me dinner first!"

"How does Mexican sound?"

"It sounds heavenly."

FIN.


End file.
